In the weeks after the
terrorist attacks in the United States, I was assigned to travel to
Afghanistan to follow the Northern Alliance forces and America's response against
al-Qaeda terrorists. The reports provided a vivid portrait of the anti-Taliban forces and the colorful
country where American troops would soon become engaged. I returned to
Afghanistan for five weeks in 2003 to examine the recovery from the war
and reconstruction efforts.

October 18, 2001Bullets
and bedbugsTo
get near Kabul, journalists must endure a treacherous mountain road
and billowing dust that invades everything. It's no resort at
journey's end. E-mail from Afghanistan